Main Pot

Main Pot: This is the initial pot of money that the players have equally contributed to before side pots are formed due to one or more players going all-in.

Understanding Main Pot

It is required to understand the main pot and side pot concept for effectiveness in strategy, especially in no-limit game variance when going all-in anytime. Understanding the structure of such pots enables players to make better judgments regarding betting or calling, and the perceived value of their hands. This allows the player to plan accordingly depending on the amount of money at stake, control the risks attached well, and game accordingly based on the actions of one’s opponents.

Examples of Main Pot

Example: Player A goes all-in for $10 and both Player B and Player C call a total of $50. That would mean the main pot is $30, made up of $10 from each player, and the side pot is $80, made up of the $40 over and above Player A’s all-in that was contributed by both Player B and Player C.

In the second case, Player A goes all-in with $20 and is called by Player B and Player C for $20 each. Here, no one has created side pots, the main pot size being $60, that includes three different bets of $20 each.